SBS server 2008 bleeding disk space..

[knc]

I have an SBS 2008 that is bleeding disk space... I was down to 200 mb's so I moved the pagefile.sys to their D: drive... that gave me about 8 gigs free, which immediately started shrinking...

I see the sharepoint database file is 17gb, and can't understand how to manage it. I found a microsoft "fix it" for me tool to shrink the log file but that didn't help much.

I may move the sharepoint database to the d drive through the sbs migration wizard.

I turned of logging on many features but my log folder isnt THAT large..

I am not using the sharepoint services at all (at least that I know) and the server is running AD but all clients 4 or 5 are connecting as if it was a workgroup. Boy the 17 gb of sharepoint data would be sweet to have back..

 

[MobileTechie]

So just to be clear - which file is it that is very large?

 

[seedubya]

Please use a disk space analyser to determine where the space is going, if you don't already know. Once we know that it may be possible to help.

 

[MobileTechie]

Sounds like he's already narrowed it down to sharepoint. I'm wondering which file, if it isn't a log file, is 17GB. It's normally the log files.

Have you gone in through SQL Server Management and used the shrink files/database functions?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Look inside of your IIS directory...I bet one of the sites .log files is ballooning.

Where is WSUS installed? SHould always move that off the %system% drive.

Users redirect folders?

Where is the infostore located? (also should be off the %system% drive)...but if it's not backing up properly by an Exchange aware backup utility that can flush the circular logs...she'll balloon up in size too by those log files every 12 or so minutes.

 

[knc]

sharepoint****.ldf file is 17 or 18 gb...

I have already looked at wsus and ran the clean up utility, took 5 days for that to finish. I can move sharepoint off of the os drive but that isnt really fixing anything..

I am apprehensive with running any sql queries as I am NOT familiar with SQL... This IS a production server and an accounting firm, so this is a bad time to crash their server.

I have a screen shot of the usage and will compare it in a couple of days to find where the growth is.. But I think 17 gb's is pretty large for sharepoint

 

[knc]

also they arent using exchange at all so I cant imagine the log files are getting out of hand there..

 

[bluecoast]

That file is the transaction log for the Sharepoint database. It keeps track of all the changes made in the event that a db restore is done. It is not the actual DB. There is a way to shrink the log by committing the changes to the DB, I think you need to install SQL server management studio(it can be run from a workstation rather than install on the server.)

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Can shrink it with native tools in SBS08
http://www.sharepointboris.net/2008/10/sharepoint-config-database-log-file-too-big-reduce-it/

If you want the easy way....you can use Microsoft Fixit
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2000544

Just click...accept....zip through the little wizard.

Grows like mad if Sharepoint isn't being backed up properly.

 

[MobileTechie]

The method I use is:


Open SQL Server Management Studio Express and connect to:
\\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query - this will get SQL Server Management to find the relevant files for you.

Then paste this query in the window and execute it:

BACKUP LOG [dbname] WITH TRUNCATE_ONLY
Go
Use [dbname]
Go
DBCC SHRINKFILE([dbname_log],2)
Go

It's essentially the same as the 2nd link stonecat posted. I've done it scores of times and it's perfectly safe. It's not going to crash their server. Copy and paste the database names in so you know they're right.

 

[knc]

ok I forgot to mention I did run the microsoft "fix it" a few days ago with NO results, and I just re ran it now, still no results.

now the sql query requires the dbase name how do I determine that? I know I see sharepoint_config then a series of numbers (lots) is there a way to copy and paste the name or is there an easier way to do this?

Thanks..

also I did the file > shrink option from the link, but it just doesnt do anything..it sits and runs... but with no input as to what is going on.

 

[MobileTechie]

If you use the Shrink function the name of the database is in a field. You can grab it there. Also the files are in \Windows\SYSMSI\SSEE\MSSQL.2005\MSSQL\DATA the database names are the same as the file names minus the file extensions of course. Properties will allow you to copy from there.

You should have files like:

SharePoint_AdminContent_d5e397f2-a17a-48a0-a628-d25db6672bab.mdf
SharePoint_AdminContent_d5e397f2-a17a-48a0-a628-d25db6672bab_log.ldf
SharePoint_Config_29c26fca-18b8-48c1-9804-b869932abcb6.mdf
SharePoint_Config_29c26fca-18b8-48c1-9804-b869932abcb6_log.ldf
ShareWebDb.mdf
ShareWebDb_log.ldf

Which of these is most similar to your file? How big are all the sharepoint files in the directory?

Run the shrinking and see if it makes any difference to the relevant files in the directory.